Mourinho favourite set to join Portsmouth’s League One rivals as former Rangers striker makes Derby return

Portsmouth could be facing a player once lauded by former Chelsea and Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho in League One this season.

Speaking during his time in charge at Old Trafford, the former Red Devils manager described young goalkeeper Joel Pereira as a player he ‘trusts completely’ and tipped him to become Portugal’s ‘best goalkeeper of the next generation’.

Discussing then-United goalkeepers David de Gea and Sergio Romero, Mourinho said: “We have two fantastic goalkeepers. We have a third goalkeeper (Pereira) that I think will be the best Portuguese goalkeeper of the next generation so anyone in goal I trust completely.”

Despite being held in high regard at Old Trafford, Pereira made just three senior appearances for the 13-time Premier League champions and spent time out on loan with the likes of Vitoria Setubal, Hearts and Huddersfield Town before moving to Dutch club RKC Waalwijk in the summer of 2021.

Now a free agent, 27-year-old Pereira is close to joining Reading according to Manchester Evening News as Ruben Selles looks to strengthen his newly-inherited squad following Saturday’s opening day defeat at the hands of Peterborough United.

Striker completes Derby County return

Former Rangers and Ipswich Town striker Martyn Waghorn has agreed to return to Derby County after putting pen-to-paper on a deal at Pride Park.

The 33-year-old frontman spent three years with the Rams between 2018 and 2021, scoring 30 goals and providing 13 assists in 123 appearances in all competitions. After spending time with Coventry City and a loan spell at Huddersfield Town, Waghorn became a free agent last month and has now secured a return to Derby.

He told the club website: “I’m delighted to be back to be honest. It’s been a strange couple of weeks being in and around the place but I’m over the moon to get it over the line and I’m ready to get going now.

“The vision of the club and where we need to be and where we all want to be. Obviously I’ve got great history with the place but the chance of being successful here appeals. I’m a different player now, a different person and hopefully I can use all my experience to help the team to get back to where we want to be. There’s no greater incentive then being in front of these fans and my family week in and week out.”

Waghorn could make the first appearance of his latest spell with Derby when the Rams visit Burton Albion on Saturday afternoon.